Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 655	House Author:  Goolsby et al.
Effective:  5-30-05	Senate Sponsor:  Deuell

            House Bill 655 amends the Insurance Code to require the Texas Medical Liability Insurance Underwriting Association and to authorize self-insurance trusts to offer medical liability insurance or other appropriate health care liability insurance that covers certain volunteer health care providers against any claim for loss, damage, or expense from a person's death or injury due to a provider's negligence in rendering or failing to render professional service while performing volunteer duties. The bill provides that such insurance does not affect the liability of a provider who is a direct service volunteer of a charitable organization, establishes that such a provider may obtain liability insurance through the association, and requires that the association's coverage be offered in the same manner as that for eligible physicians.  It also exempts retired physicians whose only practice is voluntary medical care for a disaster relief organization from the registration permit fee.